


In These Arms (Epilogue) - Part Four

by mrpicard



Series: Star Trek: TNG - In These Arms (Epilogue) [4]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Genre: Bartenders, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, M/M, Party, Partying, Reunions, Starfleet, Starfleet officers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-19 08:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11309253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrpicard/pseuds/mrpicard
Summary: A bar, a party - and many familiar faces.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This part is set about ten years after the previous one.

Picard slowly walked into the bar and smiled when he spotted his husband standing there with a dish towel in his hand, watching the waiters around him who were decorating the tables. 'Chez Alex' had become a big hit in LaBarre - most notably because it was the only bar that featured the legendary Château Picard cocktail that Alex had invented soon after the bar's opening exactly ten years ago.

"Hello, Alexander."

The bartender turned around. "Oh, hey! I didn't expect you so soon."

"I know I'm early, but I wanted to see if I can help."

"Aww, you don't have to - we're basically all set for the party." Alex slung the dish towel over his shoulder and began to walk over to the bar. "Any news on the grape situation?"

"Unfortunately not," Picard sighed and followed him. "I went through Robert's record books this morning - it seems this disease is very hard to get rid of. Even Robert had problems, and he was practically an expert when it comes to grapes. Compared to him I'm just an amateur trying to get by."

"Oh come on, you've been running the vineyard for over a decade, you know a thing or two about grapes by now."

"Perhaps, but it still doesn't compare to what Robert knew."

Alex glanced at a young waiter in the back of the bar. "Pierre? Not too many flowers per table, okay?"

The waiter nodded nervously.

Picard followed Alex' gaze. "How's he doing?"

"Much better. He's come a long way."

"You were very patient with him."

"It was worth it - I was actually happy when he dropped only every _third_ glass I handed him." Alex smiled. "But I just _had_ to give him a chance - I remember how nervous I was when I started in Eleven Forward, although _that_ had very little to do with the job and more with a certain captain."

Picard chuckled and was just about to say something when the front door opened again and a young man walked in. "Hello? Anyone there?"

"Laurent!?" Picard exclaimed.

"What are _you_ doing here on Earth?" Alex asked and quickly followed his husband to the door.

"I wouldn't want to miss your ten-year bar anniversary party for the world," Laurent said and raised the moses basket he was carrying. "And neither would he. Also, it _was_ time for him to finally meet his grandparents in person."

Picard and Alex gaped at the baby inside the basket, and, as usual, Picard was the first to find words. "You... you brought Julien?!"

"Obviously," Laurent remarked dryly, put the basket on a nearby table and smiled when both his fathers bent down in front of it, focusing their entire attention on the baby.

"He's adorable, isn't he?" Picard whispered.

"Absolutely," Alex agreed, reached out his hand and gently poked his grandson.

Julien giggled.

"Just like you, Laurent," Alex laughed. "You used to giggle in exactly the same way when I poked you like that."

Laurent made a face. "Papa Alex, _please_."

"Where's Karen?" Picard asked without taking his eyes off Julien.

"She sends her regards, but she's working on an important discovery on Andoria. They just can't spare her at the moment, so Julien is staying with me for now."

Picard looked at him and frowned. "Are you sure this is wise? You can't simply continue with your careers as if nothing happened."

Laurent rolled his eyes. "We won't throw Julien at each other on a weekly basis if that's what you're thinking - but for now he'll be living with whoever has the better working hours on their current job."

"I'm just making sure you know what you got yourselves into," Picard said and focused his attention on Julien again, who was busy with trying to grab a little plush Sehlat that Alex was waving around in front of him.

"We're not the first archeologists with a baby," Laurent countered. "And besides, _you_ guys were both busy with your jobs as well when you had me."

"Yes, but -"

"What your Papa Jean-Luc is trying to say is that it's _your_ business how you handle this," Alex interrupted and put down the plush Sehlat. " _Right_ , Jean-Luc?"

Picard took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm sorry, Laurent."

"It's alright, I know you're just worried." Laurent looked at Julien. "There's no need for it, though. Karen and I will take good care of him."

"Speaking of taking care of him... I hope you weren't serious about him being at the party," Picard remarked.

"Of course not. I was hoping you'd have some space for him in your office, Papa Alex. I brought my baby tricorder to keep an eye on him, so he should be fine in there."

"Sure," Alex said and picked up the basket. "Come on, let's see what we can do."


	2. Chapter 2

Alex looked around in the bar and smiled when he saw the happy faces of the people who were sitting at the tables, enjoying the party that had started half an hour ago. He knew almost all of them - much like his own home village, LaBarre was fairly small and it had not taken him very long to get to know its inhabitants. At first it had even been somewhat strange to interact with mostly human customers again; he had gotten so used to a mostly Vulcan audience that the noise level in the bar had actually given him headaches for a while.

He had eventually adjusted, however, and it had quickly turned out that his new customers liked him as much as he liked them: He had had a full bar every evening from day one, which was really -

The door suddenly opened again and Alex froze for a second when he realized who had come - and then he quickly rushed over to his latest guest. "Geordi!"

The retired engineer smiled broadly and returned Alex' brief hug. "Hey, Alex. It's been a while." He looked around. "Looks like one hell of a party - I hope you got some room left?"

"There's always a seat in here for you, Geordi. You know that."

LaForge grinned. "That might not be enough this time."

"What do you mean?"

"I brought a few friends along - wasn't easy to get a hold of them, they're all over the galaxy these days." LaForge stepped aside and four more people walked in.

"Hello, Alex!" Pulaski exclaimed, stepped forward and placed a kiss on the speechless bartender's cheek.

"It's so wonderful to see you!" Riker beamed and slapped Alex' shoulder. "I love a good party!"

"Me, too - wouldn't want to miss this one for the world!" Burke agreed and shook Alex' hand.

"We just _had_ to come when Geordi called us," Mordock added.

"I - I didn't even know any of y-you were here on Earth...?" Alex stammered, his mind reeling.

"Given how you usually know everything before it even happens, all this does is show how good we were at keeping this one a secret," LaForge laughed. "And -"

He stopped in mid-sentence and stared at the door to Alex' office that had just opened.

Picard was standing there, gaping at his former senior staff with an expression of complete and utter disbelief on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Picard leaned back in his chair at the head of the small table. "I heard you refused an offer to work at Starfleet Headquarters, Will - what's next for you?"

"Retirement. Teri and I are about to settle down in a nice and quiet corner of Alaska."

"I also thought I'd have a nice and quiet retirement," LaForge mused. "And now Mica keeps Aquiel and me busy all day."

"How old is she now?" Picard asked.

"Three."

"A complicated age for children if I remember correctly," Mordock chimed in. 

"You could say _that,_ " LaForge agreed. "Her latest favorite pastime is being after my tools."

Riker smiled. "Future chief engineer in the making right there."

"At least she keeps you on your toes now that you've left your daily engineering exercises behind," Pulaski teased.

"Oh, I still see plenty of engine rooms," LaForge said. "The folks at Utopia Planitia love to invite me over for inspections - but somehow these 'inspections' always turn out to be problems they think only the former chief engineer of the flagship can solve."

"The burdens of a reputation for excellence," Burke grinned and reached inside his uniform pocket. "By the way... I brought something I thought you all would appreciate." He pulled out a bunch of cards. "Anyone up for some poker?"

 

 

**********

 

Picard slumped onto the couch, breathing heavily. "What time is it?"

Alex sat down next to him and yawned. "I think it's 5 in the morning or something."

"We were sitting there for _that_ long?"

"You were, yes."

"Good Lord," Picard groaned. "How many Château Picard cocktails did we have?"

"Plenty. You're still good though, you're used to them. Your former officers, however..."

Picard smiled tiredly. "There will be a _lot_ of headaches tomorrow."

"Most likely." Alex loosened his bow tie. "Speaking of tomorrow - or rather, later today - Laurent wants to come by and show Julien the vineyard."

"Really? That's wonderful." Picard leaned back on the couch. "I did mean to talk to him before he left with Julien, but... my officers..."

"I'm sure he understands."

"I hope so." Picard looked at Alex. "I also hope _you're_ not upset that Geordi's surprise overshadowed your anniversary...?"

The bartender waved his hand. "I was as happy to see them all as you were."

"I wish you had had more time to sit with us."

"Oh, it felt even more like old times that way - you know, me behind the bar and you and your officers playing poker..."

"Only now we're all much older and most of us either retired from Starfleet or close to it, except for Colin and Mordock."

"Colin told me he's got a promotion to admiral on his desk. Starfleet Intelligence, actually. I'm pretty sure he'll accept it - he's always wanted to settle down in San Francisco."

"I'm still surprised at his decision to switch over to the command division and become a captain."

"Maybe it was all part of the 'end up in Starfleet Intelligence and settle down in San Francisco' plan."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Picard chuckled. "Colin Burke is one of the most resourceful officers I've ever known." He sighed. "We both really should go to bed, but... getting up from this couch suddenly seems so... exhausting."

"I feel the same way."

"Then why don't we get that blanket over there and sleep right here?"

"Our backs are going to kill us for this," Alex objected.

"I'm willing to take that risk."

"You know what? Me, too."


End file.
